Felix Auger-Aliassime experienced the non-stop energy of New York, known as the city that never sleeps. He played a grueling first-round match at the U.S. Open, lasting over three hours with a rain delay in between sets. The Montreal tennis star emerged victorious against Australia’s Rinky Hijiata with a score of 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Reflecting on the match, Auger-Aliassime mentioned the challenges posed by his opponent, whom he had known since childhood. Despite the tough battle, he expressed relief at advancing to the next round. Notable statistics from the match include 17 aces, 48 winners, and 11 double faults for the Canadian player. Auger-Aliassime won 18 out of 22 service games and six out of 21 return games. His next opponent will be Russian player Karen Khachanov, who secured victory over Roman Burruchaga from Argentina in straight sets.

In other U.S. Open matches, Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., is set to compete in the second round of men’s singles against Luca Van Assche of France. Shapovalov’s previous win was against Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia, while Van Assche defeated Cameron Norrie from Britain in their respective matches.

Leylah Fernandez from Laval, Que., is gearing up for her second-round women’s singles match against Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand. Fernandez triumphed over Shuai Zhang from China, while Sawangkaew emerged victorious against Panna Udvardy from Hungary in straight sets.

The U.S. Open action continues with Canadian players showcasing their skill and determination on the court.